Knitting machine



Nov. 7, 1939.

K. R. LlEBERKNEcH- KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1937 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 7, 1939 PATENT ori-"ICE KNITTIN G MACHINE Karl Richard Lieberknecht, Oberlungwitz, Germany, assignor to Kalio, Inc., New York, N, Y.,

a corporation of New York Application August 20, 1937, Serial No. 160,098

In Germany August 28, 19,36

15 Claims.

length of the machine, is driven from a drive shaft which is located in parallel relation thereto, and has a plurality of separate driving connections to the cam shaft spaced along the length of the machine to prevent undesirable torque strains and consequent inaccuracy of the cam shaft in operation. With the usual construction of these machines, the drive shaft above referred to, driven from a suitable source of power such as an electric motor, is mounted on the front portion of the machine, and has secured thereto at spaced intervals along its length, hand wheels which are used for turning over the machine by hand.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved cam shaft drive well adapted for power and manual operation which is constructed and arranged toeliminate from the front side of the machine, all rapidly moving parts which might hamper or result in injury to -the operator serving the machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cam shaft driving and control mechanism of this general description having embodied therein braking means operative during power operation of the machine to bring the carp shaft to a quick stop without, however, interfering with the manual turning over of the machine indee pendently of the power operating means.

With these and other objects inyiew, as may hereinafter appear, a principal feature of the invention consists in the provision of a drive shaft which is located in the machine parallel to the cam shaft and well removed from the operating station at the front of the machine, a manual driving element for turning over the cam shaft y iniiuence of the above-mentioned manual driving connections.

The several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations and arrangement'of parts hereinafter described and claimed. which together with the advantages to be ob tained thereby, will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in left end ele.- vation, illustrating particularly the power/and manual driving connections for the cam shaft, only so much of the machine having been disclosed as is believed necessary to show the connection of the present invention therewith; Fig.V 2 is an enlarged detail view looking from the left, illustrating a brake for stopping the cam shaft, andthe connections for manually rotating the cam shaft; and Fig. 3 is an electrical diagram illustrating particularly the electrical connections for operating the solenoid brake of the machine.

The machine disclosed in the drawing as embodying in a preferred form the several features of applicants invention, comprises a multiple section flat full-fashioned knitting machine of ordinary description, having spring beard needles I movable as a unit with relation to a xed press edge I2, yarn measuring sinkers I4, and knockover bits (not shown).

'I'he several cooperating instrumentalities of the machine are driven through mechanism which may beof ordinary description, from a main cam shaft I6 extending throughout the machine length and supported at intervals in bearings formed in a series of transverse frames I8 rigidly connected by the usual rear rail 20, sinker rail 22 and work table 24 extending the length of the machine. As b est shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the machine is driven by means of an electric motor 26 mounted on a motor bracket 28. A pinion 30 secured to the armature shaft 32 of the motor 26 meshes with a gear 34 on a drive shaft 36 which is located on the machine frame parallel to and to the rear of the cam shaft I6. The drive shaft 3B in accordance with the -usual practice in machines of this description, extends throughout the machine length, and operates through separate driving connections spaced along the machine length to impart rotational movement to the cam shaft I6. These connections comprise gears such as that indicated at 38 secured to the shaft 36, andarranged to mesh with pinions 40 on the cam shaft I6. A pair of such gears 38 and 40 is' preferably provided at each end of the machine, and may also be the front of the machine, and thus eliminate all danger of injury to the operator when working at the machine. l

In accordance with the present invention, drive connections are provided which are normally idle during power operationpf the machine, but may chine over by hand. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the manual driving connections for the cam shaft I6 comprise a hand wheel shaft 42 which takes the place of the usual hand wheel shaft on these machines, having mounted thereon at spaced intervals along the machine lengthfhand Wheels 44. A bevel gear 46 secured to the hand wheel shaft 42, meshes with a gear 48 on a rearwardly extending shaft 50 which is supported to turn in bearings 52 in a supporting arm 54 loosely pivoted on the hand wheel shaft 42. The shaft 50 is provided atrits rear end with a bevel gear 56 which is arranged to mesh witha bevel gear 58 on a stub shaft 60 carried in bearings on the rear end of the supporting arm 54. WA pinion 62 also secured to the cross shaft 60, is arrangedV to mesh with the driving gear 34 on the drive shaft 36.

The lever arm 54 carrying the driving connectionswabove set forth, is normally held in a raised inoperative position during powerY operation of the machine, in which the pinion 62 is out of engagement with the driving gear- 34 by means of nconnections including a pendant lever 64, carried Yon a fixed pivot 66, and having formed in the lower` end thereof a slot 68 to receive a pim 10 secured to the lever arm 54:. The position of theglever arm 64 is controlled to cause the pin l to ride from one" end to the other of the slot 68, Vand thereby to move the pinion 82 into or out of engagement with the driving gear 34 by means of a control rod or link 12 slidably supported at its forward end in a bearing lug 14, and at itsgrear end secured to the lever 64.

A knob 16 formed on the forward end of the link 'lLprovides a convenient means for; moving the link 12 forward or back to engage or disengage the hand feed connections.`

Further in accordance with the present invention, a mechanical braking device is provided which operates automatically in stopping the driving motor 26,.to brake the cam shaft I6 to a quick stop, and is thereafter released to permit subsequent manual turning over of the machine As best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, an internal friction brake is provided which comprises an internal friction surface 80 formed in one of the driving gears 34, and two cooperating brake shoes 82, 84 supported at their upper ends on a stationary pivot 86 carried on the machine frame. A tension spring 88 tends to move the brake shoes 82, 84 toward one another to release the brake. At their lower ends the brake shoes engage against opposite sides of a cam block 90 supported to turn on a stationary pivot 92 onv the machine frame. Operation of the cam block 90 to set the brake, is controlled by means' of a lever arm 94 secured to turn with the block 90, and connected at its free end "be readily thrown into operation by the'loperatorV when the machine is stopped for Yturning the mathrough a link 96 to the armature 98 of a brake solenoid |00.

n The operation of the; brake solenoid |00 is controlled through electrical connectionswhich are operative during the operation of the motor 2E to de-energize the solenoidk |03.and thereby to permit the release of the brake under the influence of the spring 88, and rendered operative in stopping the motor 26 to momentarily energize the-brake solenoid |00, so that the brake is applied for a sufficient length of time to stop the cam shaft I6, being then released to permit manual turning over of the cam shaft. The electrical connections controlling the operation of the motor 26 and brake solenoid |00 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, comprise a standard s starting and stopping switch |02 having the usual start push button |04 and stop button |08 which controls the operation of a magnetic starting Yand stopping switch generally indicated at |08 for the motor 26,. The motor 26 is driven from a three-phase power line having line connections LI; L2 andY L3. The brake solenoid |00 is rendered operative when the motor 34 is deenergized through the operation of the starting and stopping switch |08, .to set and thereafter to-releaserthe brake, by means of a solenoid brake time switch ||0 having electrical connections ||2 and ||4 to line wires Li and L22 extending between the motor switch |08 .and the motor 26.y The time switch ||0 as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, comprises a switch plunger ||6 having spring switch arms ||8 and |20 connected respectively by Ywires V|21! and |24 to the solenoid brake |00, and arranged to engage with cooperating Ycontact-members |28 and |28 which 'are connected respectively through nwires |30 and |32 withline wires LI and L2 on nthe lineY side of the starting and stopping switch |08. During the operation of the motor 26, the switch plunger H6 is maintained ina fully raised position by means of a solenoid |34 energized by means of the connecting wires ||2 and 4. When the motor switch |08 is moved ton stop position by the 'pressing of the stop button |06.to de-energize the motor 26, the solenoid |34 is simultaneously de-energized, allowing the switch plunger ||6 to move downwardly under theiniluenceY of twoftension springs |36, |38 'connected between a cross piece |40 on the plunger and stationary points on the machine, thusgclosing an electric circuit through the contacts ||8|26 and |20|28 to energize the motor solenoid |00, .movement ofthe plunger ||6YY then causes the 'f switch contacts |I8, |20 to snap past the contacts |26, |28 VYto again disconnect the solenoid |00, operating to again release'the brake.

The time during which the brake solenoid |00 is permitted to remain energized; may bereadily determined by controlling the rate of the downward movement of the switch plunger L16. In the preferred form of applicants device illustrated, a dash pot |42 is provided, which is arranged to permit a relative rapid movement of the plunger ||6 downwardly to a point in which the circuit is closed to energize the brake solenoid |00, and thereafter a relatively slower movement of the plunger ||6 which causes the contacts to remain closed during a suicient length of time to enable the braking action to effectively stopthe cam shaft H6. The dash pot provided, is of the pneumatic type, and comprises a piston |44 which is secured to the lower end of the plunger H6, and is arranged to slide Within the The continued downward y ing of the motor 26.

movement of the piston |44 and plunger H6- from the fully raised operative position shown in Fig. 2, to a point at which contacts H 8|26 and |20-|20 are closed to energize the brake solenoid |t At this point the outlet |46 is closed, and the continued downward movement of the piston |44 and plunger H6 proceed at a slower rate which is determined by the setting of an escape valve |48 in the lower end of the dash pot cylinder'l42. As the plunger H6 now approaches the lower limit of its down movement, the switch contact arms H8, |20 snap past the contacts |26, |28 to again de-energize the brake solenoid |00. A check valve |50 is arranged to permit air to enter the cylinder freely,` and thus to permit the plunger H6 and piston |44 to move upwardly into operating position when the switch solenoid |34 is energized in the start- In order to prevent the energizing of the brake solenoidA |00 with the consequent setting of the brake in starting the motor 26 as the plunger H6 is moved upwardly to its operative position, the upper sides of each of the contact members H8, |20 are preferably insulated.

Applicants cam shaft driving and braking mechanism above described, provides an easy and accurate means for controlling the power operation of the machine, and more particularly for stopping the cam shaft in any desired position. Applicants improved construction in' which the drive shaft is moved from the front to the back of the machine, and in which the manual control is disconnected during power operation, has the advantage of eliminating any danger that the operator may be injured by this shaft which is driven at a relatively high speed, and also eliminates any danger that' the goods being knitted on the machine will be injured by contact therewith. -The driving and braking mechanism is also well adapted to produce a relatively slow power 'opera-tion of the cam shaft. This effect may be produced by alternatively switching the motor on and olf, causing an alternate application of power and braking impulses to produce a slow rotation or inching of the cam shaft.

It-will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope-of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:l

1. Driving and control mechanism for a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise ofthe machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to and rearwardly of the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a power drive for the drive shaft, a manual drive element for turning the cam shaft located on the front side of the machine for convenient operation by the operator, and connections therefrom for turning the cam shaft, and means to disconnect the manual drive element so that it may stand idle during the power operation of the cam shaft.

2. Driving and control mechanism for a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which vcomprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to and rearwardly of the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a power drive for the drive shaft, a hand wheel shaft extending lengthwise along the front side of the machine for convenient operation by the operator, connections therefrom for turning the cam shaft, and means to disconnect the. hand wheel shaft so that the hand wheel shaft may stand idle during power operation of the cam shaft.

3. Driving and control mechanism for a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located A in the machine parallel to and rearwardly of the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a power drive for the drive shaft, manual driving connections for the cam shaft comprising a manual drive element for turning the ca'm shaft 'located on the front side of the machine for convenient operation by the operator, gearlngfor connecting said manual drive element with the drive shaft, and means for disconnecting said gearing whereby theA manual drive element may stand idle during power operation of the cam shaft.

4. Driving and control mechanism for a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel .to and rearwardly of the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a vpower drive for the drive shaft, a manual drive element for turning the cam shaft located on the front side of the machine for convenient operation by the operator, l

connections from said drive element comprising a rearwardly extending shaft, gear connections between said actuating shaft and drive shaft, a support for said actuating shaft movable to disengage said gears, a lever having a cam and slot connection with said support, and a manually operable control for moving said lever to disconnect the gears and thereby to render said manual drive element inoperative.

5. Driving and control mechanism for a at full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a motor vconnected to the drive shaft, a

vfriction brake for stopping the cam shaft, switch shaft, a motor connected to the drive shaft, a

friction brake for stopping the cam shaft, switch connections for starting and stopping the motor,

a brake actuating solenoid, and electrical connections controlled from Said switch connections in stopping the motor to apply and thereafter to release the brake while the motor remains stopped.,

'7. Driving and control mechanism for a fiat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a motor connected to the drive shaft, a friction brake for stopping the cam shaft, switch connections for starting and stopping the motor, a brake solenoid, a time switch for said brake solenoid, and electrical connections controlled from said motor switch connections in stopping the motor for actuating said time switchto apply the brake and subsequent to the stopping of the machine to release the brake while the motor remains stopped.

8. Driving and control mechanism for a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine'having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a motor connected to the drive shaft, a friction brake for stopping the cam shaft, switch connections for starting and stopping the motor, a brake solenoid, a time switch for said brake solenoid comprising a switch solenoid and connections operative in starting the motor for energizing said switch solenoid to set the time switch, and in stopping the motor to de-energize the solenoid to actuate the time switch, time switch contacts rendered operative upon actuation of the time switch to energize the brake solenoid, and thereafter to de-energize the brake solenoid, and a dash pot operable to retard the operation of the time switch.

9. Driving and control mechanism for a flat I full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a motor connected to the drive shaft, a friction brake for stopping the cam shaft, switch connections for starting and stopping the motor, electrical connections controlled from said switch connections. in stopping the motor to apply and thereafter to release the brake while the motor remains stopped, a manual driving element for turning the cam shaft located on the front side of the machine for convenient. operation by the operator, and, connections therefrom for turning the cam shaft, and a control element operable to disconnect said manual driving element whereby said manual driving element may stand idlel during power operation of the cam shaft.

10. Driving and control mechanism for a.flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to the cam shaft and well removed from the operating station at the front of the machine, driving connections between the drive shaft and cam shaft, a power drive for the drive shaft, braking means operable in stopping the machine to apply said braking means to stop the cam shaft and thereafter to disengage said braking means while the cam shaft remains stopped, a manual drive element for turning the cam shaft located on the front side of the ma- .chine for convenient operation by the operator, and connections therefrom for turning the cam shaft, and a control element operable to disconnect said manual drive element whereby said manual driving element may'stand idle during power operation of the cam shaft.

l1. Driving and control mechanism for a nat knit'tting machine, which comprises power means for driving the machine, a manually rotatable element for vturning over the machine, connections independent of said power means for connecting said control element to manually turn over the machine, and means for disconnecting said element to render the same stationary when the machine is operated by power.

12. A driving and control mechanism for a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprlses power driving connections for the cam shaft, manually operable connections independent of said power connections for manually turning the cam shaft, said manually operable connections having provision for disconnection of said manually` operable connections to render the same stationary when the machine is being driven by power.

13. Driving and control mechanism for a flat full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine having a main cam shaft extending lengthwise of the machine, which comprises a drive shaft located in the machine parallel to and rearwardly of the cam shaft, driving connections between the drive shaft and the cam shaft, a power drive for the drive shaft, a manual drive element independent of saidpower actuated parts, and means for operatively disconnecting the manual drive element to cause said manual drive element to remain stationary when the machine is driven by power.

14. Driving and control mechanism for a flat knitting machine, which comprises power driving means for the machine, braking means for the machine, means acting when rendered operative to disconnect said power driving means and to apply said braking means to stop the machine, said acting means being operative to release the brake when the machine has stopped.

15. Driving and control mechanism for a flat knitting machine, which comprises power driving means for the machine, means to connect and to disconnect said power drive to start and stop the machine, a friction brake for stopping the machine, a brake solenoid, and a time switch for said brake solenoid comprising a switch element movable to energize and thereafter to de-energize the brake solenoid, and a dash pot for controlling movement of said switch element, and means connected to be actuated by said power drive disconnecting means to actuate said time switch.

KARL RICHARD LIEBERKNECHT. 

